बृहदश्व उवाच ततो विदर्भान् सम्प्राप्तं सायाह्ने सत्यविक्रमम्। ऋतुपर्णं जना राज्ञे भीमाय प्रत्यवेदयन्॥
Brihadashva said: Thereupon king Rituparna of undaunted courage had, in the evening, arrived at the city of the Vidharbhas. The people then brought to prince Bhima the intelligence of his arrival.
स भीमवचनाद् राजा कुण्डिनं प्राविशत् पुरम्।। नादयन् रथघोषेण सर्वाः स विदिशो दिशः॥
The king (of Ayodhya), at the request of Bhima, entered the city of Kundina, filling all the directions (the points of the horizon) with the rattle of his car.
ततस्तं रथनिर्घोषं नलाश्वास्तत्र शुश्रुवुः। श्रुत्वा तु समहृष्यन्त पुरेव नलसंनिधौ॥
Thereupon the horses of Nala, that were there, heard the rattle of his car; and, having heard it, they felt great pleasure, which they had really done before in the presence of Nala himself.
दमयन्ती तु शुश्राव रथघोषं नलस्य तम्। यथा मेघस्य नदतो गम्भीरं जलदागमे॥
Damayanti also heard the rattle of Nala's car, which was like the sound of the deeply rumbling clouds during the rains.
परं विस्मयमापन्ना श्रुत्वा नादं महास्वनम्। नलेन संगृहीतेषु पुरेव नलवाजिषु। सदृशं स्थनिर्घोषं मेने भैमी तथा हयाः॥
She was struck with great astonishment to hear that sound. The daughter of king Bhima, the horses of Nala as well, supposed that chattering sound to be like one, which they heard in the days gone by, while Nala himself urged his own horses.
प्रासादस्थाश्च शिखिनः शालास्थाश्चैव वारणाः। हयाश्च शुश्रुवुस्तस्य रथघोषं पहीपतेः॥
The peacocks of the palace, the elephants in the stables and also the horses, all heard the rattle of the car of that monarch (Rituparna).
तच्छुत्वा रथनिर्घोषं वारणा: शिखिनस्तथा। प्रणेदुरुन्मुखा राजन् मेघनाद् इवोत्सुकाः॥
O king, hearing the chattering sound of the car, the elephants as well as the peacocks, began to cry aloud with their faces in that direction; and they became very glad, even as they heard the rumbling of the clouds themselves.
दमयन्त्युवाच यथासौ रथनिर्घोषः पूरयन्निव मेदिनीम्। ममाह्लादयते चेतो नल एष महीपतिः॥
Damayanti said : As the rattle of this car fills the entire earth and highly delights my heart, it must be king Nala, who comes from that direction.
अद्य चन्द्राभवक्त्रं तं न पश्यामि नलं यदि। असंख्येगुणं वीरं विनश्यामि न संशयः॥
If I do not see Nala, that hero of innumerable virtues and whose face is like the moon, surely I will die.
यदि वै तस्य वीरस्य बाह्वोर्नाद्याहमन्तरम्। प्रविशामि सुखस्पर्श न भविष्याम्यसंशयम्॥
If I am not to enter within the arms of that hero and not to feel the pleasurable touch of his embrace, I will doubtlessly cease to exist.
यदि मां मेघनिर्घोषो नोपगच्छति नैषधः। अद्य चामीकरप्रख्यं प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम्॥
If the king of the Nishadhas do not come to me with his voice as deep as the rumbling of the cloud, today I will surely enter into the fire of golden brilliance.
यदि मां सिंहविक्रान्तो मत्तवारणविक्रमः। नाभिगच्छति राजेन्द्रो विनइक्ष्यामि न संशयः॥
If that foremost of kings, of prowess like that of a lion and of courage like that of a furious elephant, do not come to me, there will be no doubt that I will die.
न स्मराम्यनृतं किंचिन्न स्मराम्यपकारताम्। न च पर्युषितं वाक्यं स्वैरेष्वपि कदाचन॥
I do not remember a little untruth in him; neither I remember any injury committed by him to others, nor he ever told a lie even in jest.
प्रभुः क्षमावान् वीरश्च दाता चाप्यधिको नृपः। रहोऽनीचानुवर्ती च क्लीबवन्मम नैषधः॥
My Naishadha is illustrious forgiving, warlike and liberal. He is supcrior to other monarchs; and he never behaves with low persons regarding private matters; and he is like an eunuch respecting other women than myself.
गुणांस्तस्य स्मरन्त्या मे तत्पराया दिवानिशम्। हृदयं दीर्यत इदं शोकात् प्रियविनाकृतम्॥
Remembering his virtues day and night, my mind is always directed towards him; and my heart is about to burst in grief on account of the absence of that beloved one.
एवं विलपमाना सा नष्टसंज्ञेव भारत। आरुरोह महद् वेश्म पुण्यश्लोकदिदृक्षया॥
O descendant of the Bharata race, thus lamenting, the lady, as if senseless, mounted the (terrace of the) large palace with the desire of seeing that righteous king.
ततो मध्यमकक्षायां ददर्श रथमास्थितम्। ऋतुपर्णं महीपालं सहवार्ष्णेयबाहुकम्॥ वै
From the central portion of the mansion she saw on the car king Rituparna, with Varshneya and Bahuka.
ततोऽवतीर्य वार्ष्णेयो बाहुकश्च रथोत्तमात्। हयांस्तानवमुच्याथ स्थापयामास रथम्॥
Thereupon Varshneya, as well as Bahuka, alighted from that excellent car; and then loosened the steeds; and at last kept the car apart.
सोऽवतीर्य रथोपस्थादृतुपर्णो नराधिपः। उपतस्थे महाराज भीमं भीमपराक्रमम्॥
Having alighted from the car, car, king Rituparna appeared before that excellent monarch, Bhima, of terrible prowess.
तं भीमः प्रतिजग्राह पूजया परया ततः। स तेन पूजितो राज्ञा ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः॥
Thereupon king Bhima received him with respectful offerings. Thus the best of the kings, Rituparna, was highly honoured by that inonarch.
स तत्र कुण्डिने रम्ये वसमानो महीपतिः। न च किंचित् तदापश्यत् प्रेक्षमाणो मुहुर्मुहुः। स तु राज्ञा समागम्य विदर्भपतिना तदा॥ अकस्मात् सहसा प्राप्तं स्त्रीमन्त्रं न स्म विन्दति। किं कार्यं स्वागतं तेऽस्तु राजा पृष्टः स भारत॥
While residing in that beautiful city of Kundina, that ruler of the earth saw nothing (no signs of the Svayamvara) there, although he looked about all again and again. Then, at last, the lord of the Vidharbhas presented himself before that monarch and welcomed him. O descendant of the Bharata race, Bhima asked him on what business he was pleased to come there; for, in the absence of a proper occasion, an illustrious personage can not be had.
नाभिजज्ञे स नृपतिर्दुहित्रर्थे समागतम्। ऋतुपर्णोऽपि राजा सधीमान् सत्यपराक्रमः॥ राजानं राजपुत्रं वा न स्म पश्यति कंचन। नैव स्वयंवरकथां न च विप्रसमागमम्॥ ततो व्यगणयद् राजा मनसा कोसलाधिपः। आगतोऽस्मीत्युवाचैनं भवन्तमभिवादकः॥
In fact Bhima did not know that he (Rituparna) had come to win the hands of his daughter. The intelligent king Rituparna, possessed of unbaffled power, beheld that there was neither a king nor a prince; nor he saw any gathering of Brahmanas; nor he heard any talk regarding the Svayamvara. Thereupon the ruler of Koshala ineditated in his mind and after a while addressed him, saying, "I have como here to pay you homage?"
राजापि च स्मयन् भीमो मनसा समचिन्तयन्। अधिकं योजनशतं तस्यागमनकारणम्॥ ग्रमान् बहूनतिक्रम्य नाध्यगच्छद् यथातथम्। अल्पकार्य विनिर्दिष्टं तस्यागमनकारणम्॥
Struck with amazement, king Bhima reflected on the cause of Rituparna's visit, who had travelled more than a hundred yojanas. Bhima supposed, “That simply to pay him respects was not the reason of his coming there, after having passed over so many monarchs and crossed over countless villages.
पश्चादुदर्के ज्ञास्यामि कारणं यद् भविष्यति। नैतदेवं स नृपतिस्तं सत्कृत्य व्यसर्जयत्॥
He attributes his arrival to a very slight cause. Be what it may. I will find out the reason in the future time.” Thus thinking, Bhima did not dismiss the monarch at once; rather he honoured him.
विश्राम्यतामित्युवाच क्लान्तोऽसीति पुनः पुनः। स सत्कृतः प्रहृष्टात्मा प्रीतः प्रीतेन पार्थिवः॥ राजप्रेष्यैरनुगतो दिष्टं वेश्म समाविशत्। ऋतुपर्णे गते राजन् वार्ष्णेयसहिते नृपे॥ बाहुको रथमादाय रथशालामुपागमत्। स मोचयित्वा तानश्वानुपचर्य च शास्त्रतः॥
He also said to him again and again, “Do you take rest, as you are very weary.” Thus regarded by the pleased monarch, the ruler of the earth (Rituparna) was highly satisfied at the mind; and, with the gladness of his heart, repaired to his appointed quarters, accompanied by the servants of the royal household. O king, after king Rituparna had gone away with Varshneya, Bahuka caught hold of the car and took it to the stables. He then unyoked the horses and looked after them according to the rules.
स्वयं चैतान् समाश्वास्य रथोपस्थ उपविशत्। दमयन्त्यपि शोकार्ता दृष्ट्वा भागासुरिं नृपम्॥ सुतपुत्रं च वार्ष्णेय बाहुकं च तथाविधम्। चिन्तयामास वैदर्भी कस्यैष रथनिःस्वनः॥
Thereafter Bahuka comforted the horses and seated himself on a side of the car; while Damayanti, the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas, afflicted with grief, saw prince Vangasura and Varshneya, the son of the charioteer, as also Bahuka in that posture; and she continued to meditate upon, "Of whose car was the rattle?
नलस्येव महानासीन च पश्यामि नैषधम्। वार्ष्णेयेन भवेन्नूनं विद्या सैवोपशिक्षिता॥ तेनाद्य रथनिर्घोषो नलस्येव महानभूत्। आहोस्विदूतुपर्णोऽपि यथा राजा नलस्तथा। यथायं स्थनिर्घोषो नैषधस्येव लक्ष्यते॥
This loud sound is like that of Nala's.car. But I do not find that prince of the Nishadhas. It is surely then that this are (of driving) was learnt by Varshneya. It is for this reason that the clattering sound of the car has been as loud as that of Nala. Or it may be, that king Rituparna is equal to Nala (in driving). Hence this rattle appears to be like that of the king of the Nishadhas."
एवं सा तर्कयित्वा तु दमयन्ती विशाम्पत। दूतीं प्रस्थापयामास नैषधान्वेषणे शुभा॥
O lord of the earth, thus meditating, blessed Damayanti sent a female messenger in search of the king of the Nishadhas.